Movies on DVD/VHS

by Troy Carrington and Blase DiStefano

• Seduction: The Cruel Woman

Wanda (Mechthilde Grossmann) is a dominatrix who runs a “gallery” on the Hamburg waterfront, where audiences pay for the privilege of watching her humiliate her slaves. After Wanda leaves her German lesbian lover (a shoe fetishist) for a beautiful American trainee—and then rejects a male performer who has broken the rules of the master/slave relationship by falling in love with her—she must confront her own desires and fears. • More than just the ritual and performance of S&M, this groundbreaking 1985 film explores the psychological aspects of power and submission, and the shifting roles in S&M relationships. • From The Village Voice: “This is the most sophisticated lesbian film I’ve ever seen, carefully stylized in the mode of the late Fassbinder. Or like Helmut Newton photography come to life.” From Film Comment: “A stunner! This is S&M by Avedon, outfits by Dior.” • This newly remastered DVD features an interview with director Monika Treut, a director profile, photo gallery, and trailer gallery. In German with English subtitles. • From First Run Features (www.firstrunfeatures. com). —Troy Carrington

• Chicago

Chicago is a gay nongay film. Screenwriter Bill Condon (Oscar-winning writer of Gods and Monsters), director/choreographer Rob Marshall, and executive producers Neil Meron and Craig Zadan are all openly gay. And though it’s not a “gay” movie, Condon says, “It’s a musical. It’s already got [queerness]. Mama Morton’s [Queen Latifah] obviously in the long line of proud lesbian prison matrons in the movies.” The Best Picture winner at this year’s Academy Awards, Chicago stars Renée Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones (Oscar winner for Best Supporting Actress), and Richard Gere. Zellweger is good, Gere is adequate, but Zeta-Jones and Latifah are outstanding. And, lucky for us, the DVD includes “Class,” a deleted musical number performed by Zeta-Jones and Latifah. There’s also an interesting behind-the-scenes featurette. • From Buena Vista Home Entertainment (www.bventertainment.com). —Blase DiStefano

• God, Sex & Apple Pie

Here’s the recipe: Combine three days, nine friends, and one pair of handcuffs. Mix in humor, neurosis, and scandal. Add a great script. After blending, you’ve got God, Sex & Apple Pie, which is the story of nine friends who rendezvous at a resort town for a holiday weekend of partying and fun, but not any “gaiety”—these guys are straight (but not narrow). With crimes and misdemeanors lurking in the background, they’ve come to escape everything. But as they cool off and kick back, all hell breaks loose. • God, Sex & Apple Pie was directed by Paul Leaf, who is best known for his success with Broadway shows, including The Subject Was Roses and The Caretaker. He has directed Shirley MacLaine, among others. • From Lightyear Entertainment (www.lightyear.com). —TC

• Ordinary Sinner

Ordinary Sinner is an intriguing coming-of-age drama with romance, action, and social commentary. • Peter (Brendan P. Hines), a former divinity student, comes to rural Vermont to sort out his life after a crisis of faith. There, he gets involved in a complex triangle with his boyhood pal Alex (Kris Park) and the beautiful coed Rachel (Elizabeth Banks). Later, Peter finds the country is not the quiet refuge he thought when he uncovers a possible murder involving his former mentor Father Ed (A Martinez), who is gay. • The DVD features an interview with the writer and director. Available September 23 from Wolfe Video (1-800-642-5247 or www.wolfevideo.com). —TC

• The Good Old Naughty Days

This astonishing, scintillating collection of short “blue movies” from the silent era, most of which are from the 1920s, are genuine, legitimate, and, by today’s hardcore standards, amazingly charming, pornographic short films that leave nothing to the imagination. From predictable fantasy scenarios—monk spies on, then joins naughty nuns; teacher must spank naughty schoolgirls—to more esoteric fare (homosexuality and animal ecstasy, to name just two), vintage porn has never been more accessible. • The 12 adults-only shorts in The Good Old Naughty Days reveal production standards far in advance of comparable films being made elsewhere at the time, as well as an inventive and often humorous array of diverse couplings. • From Strand Releasing (www.strandreleasing.com). —TC

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